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@initial Satana B. UOLLEY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

f Leners Patent No. 96,204, lated october 2c, 1869.

PIANO-FORTE ACTION.

The lSchedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all persons to whom these presents shall come:

Be it known that I, B. E. CoLLEY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and St-ate of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Forte Actions; and that the following is a full'and exact description of the-same, reference being had to the'accompanying plate of drawings.

lThe present invention relates to that class of pianofore actions in which is employed a jack, arranged to escape when actuated by the key-lever, to which it is pivoted or hung, in any suitable manner, directly from a but on Athe hammer-stem, by a movement or play toward its centre of motion, said jack being provided with an arm, extending along and over the key-lever toward its lrear or inner end, where the' back-catch is located or-fixed, with such arm, at or nearits outer end, arranged through a cloth or other propel' cushion suitably applied to rest upon the key-lever; and

This invention consists in interposing between the said back-arm ofthejaclr` and the hammer-stem, at a point back of that where the movement and escape of the jack-ily from the hammer-stem but occur, a 'detached connection, by either attaching the same wholly to the hammer-stem or to the said jack, or partially to both,and suitably protected against noise, and in suoli manner that by and through it,iin the ordinary opera.- tion ofthe action ,'the haminer-hezul, through its stem, shall come to a rest upon the jack, back of its ily, the instant the back-catch commences to relieve from the tail of hammer-head, whereby a m'ost perfect and crtain repeat, at'falmost any and all positions of the key-lever, is secured, for the obvious reason, that by such relative position ofthe hannner-bead, or its sten, upon the jack, not` only can another blow be almost if not wholly given, but great assistance afforded, and

vigor, quickness, and rapidity given to the motion 0f the jack, to resume or come into its position under the hammer-stem but, from which, in its previous action,

it had escaped.

,In the accompanying plate'of 'drawin gs, my improve- 1 ments inpiano-forte actions 'are illustrated- Figure l being a side view or elevation ofthe same, with the several parts composing the same in their norma-l position, and some in whole or partial longitudinal section, and

Figure 2, also a side view or elevation, but showing the relative posit-ion of the parts composing the action, at the moment the-relief of the back-catch from the tail-piece of hammer-head commences.

A, in the drawings, represents a key-lever, which is arranged in the ordinary' manner, turningnpon a pin, B, as a centre, fixed ,in key-board C, at the proper point.

C2, the 'rear or inner end of key-lever, near which end the mechanismbr imparting mot-ion to a suitable hammer-head is arranged, as willbe now explained.

D, an arm, similar to the key-arm of a jack in a French action, so called, and

E and F, screws, passing through said arm D into key, the one for adjusting the height of its endG from the keylever, andv the other for fastening '0r holding it in such position adjusted.

At the said end G of arm D, to atrausverse pivot, a, thereof, is hung a jackfiame,.H, having an upright or verticaly-piece,.l, and rigid block or standanl J' back thereof, at a. short distance therefrom.

K, a screw-rod, passingloosely through fly-piece l of jack, and screwing into standard J, 'ou which screwtending back therefrom along and over the key-lever, toward its reas or inner end C2, at which the, backcatch 0 is fixed and located. This arm, at its outer end P, when Vthe vaction is at rest, bears through a cushion, l1, applied thereto, orto the kev-levenat the proper point upon the'key-lcvcr, as shown' in iig. 1.

- Q, aliammer-head, attached to one end of stem R,

that, at its other end, terminates in armut-piece, S, hung by a pivot, c, inand between Ythe arms of a bi, furcated flange,- T, secured by a screw, U, to a rail, V.

By'the fiat or smooth surface W` of but-'piece S, the' hammer-stem rests u pou the upper end X of fly-piece to jack-frame H, the proper position ofthe jack-fly under the same, being regulated by and through .the 'screw K, -having'nnts,.hereinabove referred to, and its height by means of the screws E and F to the keyarm of jack, also hereinbetbre referred to.

This but-piece S, just in front of the point of coutact, between it and the jack-ily, is notched or cut out, as shown at Y, and in such notch, as well as along its 'surface W, pieces o'f cloth or leather are applied to denden and prevent any and all noise by friction,..or otherwise, in the operation ofthe action.

Z, a stem, fixed in upper end of block J tojackframe, and extended upward therefrom toward hammer-stem, in a direction slightly inclined thereto.

A2, a block, pad-head, or button, applied to upper end of stem Z, by screwing the same thereon, which a1- lows of its adjustablity and regulation, as isobvious.

B2, a cushion on hammer-stem, and at a point thereof to prevent noise betweenl thc stem and block A2 in the operation of the action.

C, a block, cushioned or protected with cloth, and located just infront of cushion B2,l 1ercinabove referred to, on the under side of hammer-stem but S.

Through this block O2, the hammer-stem comes to tail-piece 1D2 of hammer-head, after' a movement of the action through the key-lever to produce a blow by the hammer-head upon the string or strings of the instrument properly and relatively arranged therefor.

rlhe operation of the action hereinabove described is as follows:

The key-lever, at 'its finger-end, being depressed and held, the hammer-head, through the jack-frame, is sent upward to the strings with. a force corresponding thereto, when the y to jack, escaping from the but of stem by passing over the corner F2 thereof into its notch, the hammer-head falls back, and is caught by the back-catch, as in common piano-actions.

By now raising the finger from the key, the key is left free to resume its normal position, or at least to commence Vmoving thereto, at which instant the backcatch begins to relieve from the hammer' head, which, by its stem through the block A2, then immediately comes to a bearing upon the block ofjack-frame, back of its y, as shown in tig. 2, and thereby not only serves to assist the jack in bringing its y into position under the hammer-stem `but for another blow, but establishes at such time, as it were, another connection between the key and the hammer-stem, by means of which, in combination with what movement the jack-dy'cangive to the hammer-head, a. blow therefrom is insured at any and almost. all positions of the key-lever, consequently securing the utmost rapidity Aand perfectnessof repeat, as is manifest. y

In lieu of the peculiar formation or construction and That I claim as my invention, and desire to have I secured to me by Letters Patent, is Y In the class ot' pianoactions above'described," a detached connection between a hammer-head, through its stem or part attached thereto, arranged or located inside of the point of motion and escape of the jack, and the jack-flame, or any suitable part thereof, for operation, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

` vB. E. GOLLEY.

Witnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN, ALBERT W. BROWN. 

